The FBI is warning travelers of the dangers of public charging stations, saying individuals should bring their own charger instead.
Airports, hotels, shopping centers and other public areas often have charging stations where individuals can charge their phones, tablets, computers and other electronic devices. Unfortunately, bad actors can take advantage of these stations, using them to infect connected devices with malware, a practice known as “juice jacking.”
The FBI is now advising that travelers bring their own power bank, or bring their own charging cable and plug it directly into a wall outlet.
Power banks with enough capacity to charge a smartphone multiple times can be purchased for under $20 — a small price for security and piece of mind.
